The Ghost of Ernie P. Read Free Page B

put up his tent in the backyard tomorrow morning. He and Art, and sometimes two or three other friends, would sleep out there a couple of nights a week, all summer long.
    But in the morning his plans changed. The ring of the telephone woke him, and a few minutes later his mother knocked on his door and peeked in.
    â€œMrs. Barber just called,” she said. “You know—Ernie’s mother.”
    Jeff pulled a pillow over his face. He knew who Mrs. Barber was.
    â€œShe wondered if you’d stop over there this morning. She has something she thinks belongs to you. She found it with poor Ernie’s things.”
    Jeff groaned. “Tell her I can’t come,” he mumbled. “Tell her I’m busy, okay?”
    â€œNot okay.” The faintly apologetic note disappeared from Mrs. Keppel’s voice. “Not okay at all. If you think I’m going to tell that unhappy woman that her son’s friend is too busy to come to see her … I’d be ashamed to say such a thing.”
    â€œI’ll go later,” Jeff pleaded. “Maybe next week.”
    â€œMaybe today,” his mother said in her no-arguments voice. “You always put things off, Jeff. You drift! That’s going to get you into trouble one of these days.”
    It already had, Jeff thought mournfully. If he’d told Ernie Barber they couldn’t be buddies, he would never have heard about Ernie’s Top Secret Project.
    The door closed, hard, and he was alone. Alone and trapped! He knew his mother was right. If he didn’t go to see Mrs. Barber today, he’d keep putting it off forever.
    An hour later he walked with dragging steps up the walk to the sprawling house that had been Ernie Barber’s home. Before he could ring the bell the door opened, and a big woman with puffy eyes and a sad expression invited him in. Jeff remembered seeing her at the cemetery.
    â€œI’m Jeff Keppel,” he said nervously. “I’m really sorry about …” He let his words trail off, because Ernie’s mother looked as if she were going to cry.
    Mrs. Barber patted his shoulder and pulled him into the house at the same time. “He was such a darling boy,” she said. “Always so kind to those less fortunate than himself. I hope you’ll be able to find someone else to help you with your schoolwork, Jeffrey.”
    Help me with my schoolwork! Jeff stared at Ernie’s mother in astonishment.
    They were in a long narrow living room, facing a life-size portrait of Ernie and a dog. Ernie was grinning. The dog looked as if he wanted to get away.
    Mrs. Barber smiled at the portrait and wiped her eyes with a flowered hanky. “Every morning that dear boy was up early so he’d have time to tutor you before school. He stayed after school to help people, too. I really think Ernest was perfect,” she added, and turned to Jeff expectantly.
    â€œYes, ma’am.” Jeff gritted his teeth. Ernie had had a lot of nerve, pretending Jeff was the one who needed help with his math.
    â€œMy boy was looking forward to this summer so much,” Mrs. Barber went on. “He said you and he had all kinds of plans.”
    More lies! Jeff tried to smile and couldn’t. Ernie may have had plans, but Jeff didn’t know what they were and didn’t want to know.
    â€œMaybe you’d like to see Ernest’s bedroom,” Mrs. Barber said. “It’s such a lovely room.”
    She disappeared down a hall, and there was nothing to do but follow.
    â€œWe’re going to keep the room just the way Ernest left it,” Mrs. Barber said, motioning Jeff through a doorway. “Except for the pictures, of course. Mr. Barber and I put up a few of our favorites last night. To help us remember.”
    Except for at least fifty pictures on the wall, Ernie’s room looked a lot like Jeff’s. There weren’t as many books, and there was a computer on his desk instead of a